Device for projecting an aerial target



June 1955 T. MARAS ETAL DEVICE FOR PROJECTING AN AERIAL TARGET Filed May22, 1963 INVENTORJ 7170mm: MARAS BY RALPH W P/TCHEP Armmyey ,7

Patented June I, 1965 3,186,119 DEVICE FOR PRQJETENG AN AEREAL TARGETThomas Maras, 315 E. Liberty St, Ashland, (Halo, and Ralph W. Pitcher,RFD. 8, Lexington, Ohio Filed May 22, 1963, Ser. No. 282,399 3 Claims.(Cl. 421) Our invention relates generally to devices for projec ing anobject such as a metallic can as a target for flight into and throughthe air and more particularly relates to such a device including amagnetic target launching support associated directly with .a firearmfor producing and directing a charge of gas against the surface of thetarget on the support to propel it from the device and into the air.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this characterwhich is simple of construction, relatively inexpensive to manufactureand in which the target launching support is devoid of moving parts,thus eliminating maintenance problems.

Another object is to provide a target launching support of relativelylight weight material having a flat target supporting surface extendingfrom its central portion to the outer end thereof, thus eliminating thenecessity of annular target retaining or centering means.

A further object is to insure ease and handling of the device byenabling the device to be held, aimed and fired by the use of but onehand of the operator.

Another object is to provide a target launching base or support whichmay readily be removably coupled to the free end of the barrel of afirearm such as a pistol, revolver, rifle or the like, whereby to conveythe gas charge from a blank cartridge fired by the firearm directly to awall of the target supported on the launching base.

A further object is to eliminate the use of positioning grooves,pressure seals or other mechanical expedients encompassing the contourof that portion of the target object such as the base portion of a tincan which is in contact with the target base on which it is supportedfor launching.

Still another object of this invention is to magnetically position andhold a metallic target, such as an empty can, in selected position on atarget launching base prior to firing the blank cartridge in the firearmcarrying the target support.

Another object is to obtain greater range for the target and toselectively diversify the projectory of flight of the same by providinga flat launching surface on the support enabling the target to besupported thereon in a plurality of positions with respect to the axisof the support and to the axis of the movement of the gas chargedelivered to the support in firing the firearm carrying the saidsupport.

Still another object is to provide a target launching device of thecharacter disclosed which is capable of magnetically supporting andlaunching targets of varying sizes and shapes.

Another object is to provide for quick and easy target reloading afterlaunching a target.

Another object of this invention is to more elfectively and efficientlylaunch an aerial target such as a can from a device of the characterdisclosed by substantially eliminting aerodynamic drag on the target asit is launched or projected from the target support.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description of an embodiment thereof, reference being madeto the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by likereference characters throughout.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front end view of the target launching support, the brokenlines illustrating off-center positions of the target can; and

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation partly in section as viewed in thedirection of line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and showing the launching supportattached to the end of a revolver barrel with a target such as a can inplace for launching.

- In carrying out our invention, an embodiment of which is hereindescribed and illustrated, we provide a support or head for mounting atarget such as an empty beverage or food can for subsequent projectioninto the air from the support by directing a charge of gas underpressure directly against the imperforate bottom wall of the can on thesupport.

Also according to our invention, the head is detachably and directlymounted on the forward end of the barrel of a firearm or other source ofgas under pressure and is provided with an opening therethrough and inalignment with the axis of the barrel to cause a gas charge generated byfiring a blank cartridge in the firearm, or directed from another sourcethrough a suitable barrel or the like, to impinge upon the imperforatesurface of the can supported on the head. Since our invention furthercontemplates means by which the target can be quickly mounted on thesupport without the necessity of centering the same or peripherallysealing the can on the launching support, and further without regard tothe specific dimension of the cans face, the operator of the device canquickly reload targets on the head with one hand and aim and projectthem in quick succession with the other hand.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment illustrated in thedrawing, a firearm such as revolver for firing blank cartridges, orother means of discharging a charge of gas under pressure, is indicatedgenerally at 1 and includes a barrel portion 2 through which the gascharge travels and which is externally threaded, as at 3, on its outerend. A target support or launching base 4 having a center openingtherethrough, as at 5, the rear portion of which is internally threaded,as at 6, to receive the threads 3 of the barrel, is, by such means,removably carried by the barrel. The fore portion of the opening 5 maybe of slightly larger diameter than the bore of the barrel, if desired,and constitutes a gas expansion chamber '7 through which the gas chargeis directed from the barrel to impinge against the imperforate bottomwall of a can 8 mounted on the base. It will readily be seen that bymounting the target support or launching base 4 directly on the forwardend of the barrel, the user can comfortably hold, aim, re and launch thecan with one hand, and after launching the can may quickly mount anothertarget or can on the base with the other hand. If the firearm is arevolver having its cylinder loaded with a plurality of blankcartridges, successive cans may alternately be mounted on the launchinghead and launched in rapid succession without the necessity ofaccurately centering the can on the head.

The launching head or support, according to this invention, consists ofa base member 4 formed of relatively light, strong, high impactresilient material which is preferably non-magnetic, such as aluminum orplastic,

cast or machined to shape and desired dimensions. A

forwardly projecting boss 9 is preferably formed integral with the headon its forward face and surrounds the discharge opening of the expansionchamber 7. This boss extends outwardly of the fiat target supportingsurface 16 defining the forward face of the head 4 a suflicient distanceso that its forward extremity will engage or lie substantial-ly flushwith the imperforate bottom wall 11 of the can 8.

In order to releasably hold a target can on the launch ing head, we haveemployed a plurality of permanent magnet units 12 secured in the headand so positioned therein that portions of the annular crimped bead 13on the can bottom will overlie portions of these magnets at all timesand consequently will be in and under the influence of the magneticfields set up by these magnets to securely, but releasably, maintain thetarget can in its selected position on the launching head prior tolaunching.

The magnet units 12 may consist of pairs of bar type permanent magnets14 arranged in spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship, asseen more clearly in FIGURE 1, these units being mounted in the headradially of the head axis or they may consist of single permanentmagnets. More than two units which are diametrically opposed, as shownin FIGURE 1, may be employed and, in such event, of course, may belocated on the selected radii ofthe head. The spaced apart bar magnetsof each unit are positioned with their North and South Polesrespectively adjacent each other at the ends of the magnets and to liewith their longest dimensions chordally or substantially radiallydisposed with respect to the circumference of the head or the boss 9.

It will be seen that by this construction the base of the target canneed not be of any particular diameter or shape within the launchingarea of the base to bring its bottom rim or bead 13 within the effectivemagneto fields of the magnets 14. It also follows that the target canneed not be centered with respect to the axis of the base. In fact, thecan can be deliberately positioned so that its longitudinal axis iseccentric to the axis of the head, as illustrated by the broken ilnes 8and 8" in FIGURE 1. In this manner, the can can be given a substantiallynormal forward trajectory in flight when its axis is positionedsubstantially in alignment with the axis of the launching head or it maybe launched in drivers directions depending upon the extent anddirection of its selected off-center positioning on the head. In thislatter manner of launching, accelerate tumbling of the can in flightwill result, and since the trajectory cannot be ascertained accordinglyin advance, the choice of flight conditions with which the marksman isconfronted in trying to hit the target in flight is greatly increased,thus providing a materially greater interest in the use of the device.

In the structure illustrated, the magnet units 12 each includes a pairof spaced apart bar magnets 14- embedded within a hardened cementitousmaterial 15 enclosed periphera lly in a band 16, the entire unit in eachinstance being wedged, press-fitted or otherwise firmly fixed within aseat 17 formed in the fiat face of the launching head 4.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is of extremelysimple construction and that by virtue of such construction, it is lightand comfortable to handle, permits the user to load the target cans withone hand and to launch them with the other hand, and where the launchinghead is carried by the barrel of a revolver, rapid alternate reloadingand firing can be easily accomplished.

Furthermore, the invention provides a launching surface which is flatthroughout its major area and is provided with means by which aneffective magnetic field or fields are effectively located in the flatlaunching surface of the head whereby when an empty beverage or food canis brought within the magnetic fields, the can will be releasably butsecurely held in place on the launching head until it is launched by acharge of gas under pressure impinged upon the bottom wall 11 of the canwith sufficient force to overcome the magnetic pull of the magnets andto launch the can into the air. This invention also provides meanswhereby the target can need not be of any specific diameter or shape tobe magnetically held on the support prior to launching, and because thecan need not be accurately centered on the launching head and maintainedin such position prior to launching, the can may be positioned with itsaxis eccentric to the axis of the launching head and therby launched ina direction and trajectory other than would be the case if the can wereconcentrically mounted on the head.

It will be recognized that due to the simplicity of construction, inaddition to the above advantages, the full force and effect of thecharge of gas under pressure passing out of the expansion chamber 7 andimpinging against the bottom imperforate wall 11 of the can isefficiently utilized to impart maximum thrust to the can when itlaunched. In this respect, it will be noted that the imperforate bottomwall 11 of the can lies substantially flush against the forward face ofthe inner wall defining the boss 9. This insures a maximum trajectorywhen the axis of the can is concentric with that of the bore of thebarrel or a surprise or uncontrolled trajectory when the axis of the canis eccentric to the axis of the bore of the barrel.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the spiritthereof or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A target launching device for projecting a can into the air, said canhaving a peripheral bead at least on one end and responsive to amagnetic field, said device including a support having a generally flatcan supporting surface, said support having a gas conducting openingtherethrough in direct communication with a source of gas under pressureand with a wall of said can supported on said surface, means forcoupling the support to a source of gas pressure, said supportingsurface having a plurality of magnetic areas disposed radially about thecan supporting surface to underlie the wall and bead of the can and tomagnetically support the can on the said surface in a plurality ofselected locations thereon for launching in a selected direction when ablast of gas pressure is directed through the opening and against thesaid wall of the can.

2. A target launching device for projecting a can into the air, said canhaving a peripheral bead on at least one end and responsive to amagnetic field, said device including, in combination, a head having asubstantially fiat can supporting surface extending from adjacent itscentral portion outwardly to its periphery in a single plane, saidsurface having a plurality of radially arranged magnetic field areas forcontact with the beaded end of the can, said head having an openingtherethrough, a source of gas pressure for generating a blast of gas anddirecting it through the opening and against the said can end wall tolaunch the can from the head when a gas blast is released at the source.

3. A target launching device for projecting a can into the air, said canhaving a peripheral bead on at least one end and responsive to amagnetic field, said device including, in combination, a head having asubstantially flat can supporting surface extending from adjacent itscentral portion outwardly to its periphery in a single plane, saidsurface having a plurality of radially arranged magnetic field areas forcontact with the beaded end of the can, said head having an openingtherethrough, a boss formed on the target supporting surface of the headadjacent one end of said opening and disposed outwardly of the saidsurface for substantially flush engagement with the beaded end wall ofthe can to close the adjacent end of the opening, a source of gaspressure for generating a blast of gas and directing it through theopening and against the said can end wall to launch the can from thehead when a gas blast is released at the source.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,003,290 6/35Gurney et al 42-1 2,293,957 8/42 Wells. 2,7 86,461 3/57 Pelsue 124-412,957,175 10/60 Henning et a1 42-1 3,004,360 10/61 Johnson 42-1 BENJAMINA. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

1. A TARGET LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR PROJECTING A CAN INTO THE AIR, SAID CANHAVING A PERIPHERAL BEAD AT LEAST ON ONE END AND RESPONSIVE TO AMAGNETIC FIELD, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING A SUPPORT HAVING A GENERALLY FLATCAN SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID SUPPORT HAVING A GAS CONDUCTING OPENINGTHERETHROUGH IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER PRESSUREAND WITH A WALL OF SAID CAN SUPPORTED ON SAID SURFACE, MEANS FORCOUPLING THE SUPPORT TO A SOURCE OF GAS PRESSURE, SAID SUPPORTINGSURFACE HAVING A PLURALITY OF MAGNETIC AREAS DISPOSED RADIALLY ABOUT THECAN SUPPORTING SURFACE TO UNDERLIE THE WALL AND BEAD OF THE CAN AND TOMAGNETICALLY SUPPORT THE CAN ON THE SAID SURFACE IN A PLURALITY OFSELECTED LOCATIONS THEREON FOR LAUNCHING IN A SELECTED DIRECTION WHEN ABLAST OF GAS PRESSURE IS DIRECTED THROUGH THE OPENING AND AGAINST THESAID WALL OF THE CAN.